BUFFALO TWP — The township is beefing up its police department.

The township supervisors Wednesday hired two new part-time officers: Stephen Freiberg of Lower Burrell and Jeffrey Sneddon of Natrona Heights.

They will be paid $15 an hour.

The department now has a total of five full-time officers and four part-timers.

“My main goal is to get two guys on a shift,” said Lt. Tim Derringer, township officer-in-charge, in an interview.

Derringer said once that schedule can be implemented, one officer would be devoted to traffic duty.

But Derringer said there already has been a decrease in accidents with the police’s more visible presence in the community.

“We get a lot of accidents,” he said. “They seem to have dropped.”

Derringer said there have been more citations and verbal warnings.

“The productivity has increased,” he said.

Derringer said the purpose is always public safety.

“My main goal is no one getting hurt,” he said.

Derringer said having two officers on duty also ensures there is backup for police calls.

Derringer was named the new officer-in-charge earlier this month.

Supervisor Gary Risch, who oversees township police, lauded Derringer’s efforts.

“I couldn’t be any prouder,” Risch said.